Mission Groups

Mission groups are the center of life in the Eighth Day Faith Community. Mission groups generally meet once a week for 2 - 3 hours, broken into periods of worship, personal sharing, study, and work on the mission. This is where members move into close relationship during their meetings and in the context of their mission.

Membership in Eighth Day is based on commitment to Christ and response to God's call to deepen the inward journey and to serve God through actively participating in a mission group. Mission groups are the structure we have found most helpful in supporting God's individual and corporate call. Mission groups consist of at least two members who have responded to a particular call to ministry. Mission groups meet weekly to support one another in spiritual growth and outward mission.

Since commitment to, and accountability for particular disciplines, are central to the life of the church, only covenant, intern, and community members are included in mission groups.

The missions vary widely. Some, like Academy of Hope, a basic adult education school, originally gave birth to small missions that have gone on become large nonprofit groups now only marginally related (or not related at all) to Eighth Day, while their mission groups have disbanded replaced by boards of directors. Others, such as the Worship mission group do their mission entirely within the context of our community. The common factor is that all arise out of a call heard by one person and shared by at least one other person to follow Jesus in some particular manifestation of the outward journey.

Current mission groups include:

COMPANIONS - builds long-term relationships with others across the barriers of race, class and disability.

FAMILY SUPPORT MISSION GROUP - We are in special relationship with The Family Place (providing ministry, outreach and support to low income families with young children and expectant mothers) and with Jubilee Jumpstart (a day-care center providing neighborhood children with early education, enriched by an intense focus on social and emotional well-being, and practical support to their families). Our mission group is also open to members of other Church of the Saviour ministries working with neighborhood families and children.

INTERFAITH TRAUMA HEALING - focuses on fighting the structures in our families, society, country and world that allow the perpetuation of traumatizing events on children and adults. We also develop trauma healing groups with foci on spirituality, development of individual and community strengths, community building, empowerment, and call.

NEW CREATION - co-creates with God, advocates, models and teaches a creative process. We seek to be musicians and liturgists in worship and the world.

RACIAL JUSTICE & HEALING - works toward the recognition and healing of racism in ourselves and our communities, and toward the empowerment of those oppressed by racism in our society.